


The Little Ones

by Fangirl_Forever



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bilbo Remains In Erebor, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield Fluff, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Mild Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Original Character(s), Protective Thorin, Thorin Feels, Thorin is a Softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 07:41:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11226390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Forever/pseuds/Fangirl_Forever
Summary: Thorin finds a surprise in the market place and Bilbo is right as usual.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was something I originally wrote for my arranged marriage Bagginshield fic, but it didn't fit with the storyline so I set it in another universe and wrote this.  
> *I don't own these characters
> 
> **Edit 09/20/2017- I changed the ages on the Dwarflings, because after actually researching the ages, maturity, and age-marks on the Dwarrow Scholar, I realized that I made them too old for the ages I had written them as.

Thorin had been adamant that being King Under the Mountain would not change who he was or how he had always led his people. As soon as he was released from the healer’s tents after the battle, he had joined in the restoration and rebuilding of Erebor and Dale. He had spent weeks arguing with both Dwalin and Balin both, demanding that he be given time every day to be with his people, either walking in the market or helping in the forges. He wanted his people to see that he was still one of them, despite the crown sitting atop his head.

That was months ago, and now his muscle was no longer needed. The restoration and rebuilding were both well under way and there were more than enough Dwarrow who wanted the work. He still visited the forge every week, doing the work he truly loved. But his favorite part of every day was when he visited the marketplace.

The market space had been deemed a priority and had been one of the first places restored in preparation for the caravans that began arriving just two months after the battle. Now, almost six months after the battle, the market was what it had once been. During the day, it was always loud, busy, and full of Dwarrow both selling and buying. Stall owners could be heard yelling about their wares and Dwarflings would shout and yell with glee as they ran through the crowd, heading for whatever treat or trinket they had the coins for. After spending all day sitting on the throne or in council, listening to stuffy nobles drone on and on about ridiculous things, visiting the market was a breath of fresh air for Thorin.

When he had first visited the market, he had received mixed reactions. Some Dwarrow had bowed, a few dropping to their knees, in gratitude and reverence. Others had been awestruck, some afraid. Understandable since Dwalin refused to allow Thorin to go alone and would always hover over his shoulder, looking menacing. But after several days of visiting, word spread about his visits. Soon, stall owners and the regular market goers became used to seeing him. Business had boomed for the stall owners as more Dwarrow visited the market just to get a look at him.

Several weeks had gone by since his first visit to the market and the uproar over his visits had died down. Now, he received bows, but also received hugs, mostly from Dwarflings and Dwarrowdams. He was still unable to purchase anything, as stall owners refused to accept his coin and simply gave him whatever he wanted. Dwalin thought it hilarious whenever Thorin tried to pay for something, to no avail. Thorin would walk away, grumbling, with his arms full.

This day, he wasn’t looking to buy anything. He just wanted to walk and interact with his people. He made sure to spend a few minutes talking to every Dwarrow who stopped him, meaning he had already been in the market almost an hour and had only been through half the market place. He ducked into an empty stall for a moment alone, Dwalin close on his heels. Finding three dirty Dwarflings hiding behind the stall was surprising.

After he got over his surprise, Thorin stared down at the Dwarlings, concerned and confused. They each stared back up at him. Thorin glanced back at Dwalin, who shook his head, and then he dropped to one knee a few feet in front of the children. He could see that the biggest one, who was spreading his arms out in front of the smaller ones protectively, couldn’t have been thirty yet. The smaller two looked to be about twenty. He held out his hand to them, his heart clenching when he could see clearly how dirty and disheveled they were. Their clothes were threadbare and they wore no shoes. Their hair and sparse, scruffy beards hadn’t been brushed in a long time, and they wore no braids.

The children stared at his hand warily so he tried to smile and said, “Hello, little ones. My name is Thorin. Do you know who I am?”

One of the smaller children piped up then and said, “You’re the king.”

Thorin nodded approvingly and bowed slightly. “I am. May I know your names?”

The big Dwarfling bit his lip before he returned the bow, the other two following his lead. Then he said, “I’m Gisren, son of Gisrim. This is Nuti, daughter of Nutir, and Drud, son of Drudi. At your service, your majesty.”

“Well met, Gisren, son of Gisrim. May I ask what you three are doing here?”

The youngest Dwarfling, Nuti, choked on a sob and buried her face in her hands. The other Dwarfling, Drud, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. Thorin frowned and came to a horrifying conclusion. Thorin gently reached out and grasped Gisren by his shoulders. The boy tensed up but didn’t move.

“Gisren, where are your parents? And Nuti’s, and Drud’s?” he asked roughly.

The boy swallowed heavily. “They’re dead, sir,” he whispered.

Thorin licked his lips and glanced over his shoulder at Dwalin. Dwalin understood without a word and hurried off to find a guard. Turning back to the boy, Thorin shifted and sat on his knees, uncaring that his breeches were getting very dirty. “Where have you been living, Gisren?”

“Here in the market place, sir,”Gisren admitted reluctantly. “We have some blankets and we pick a different empty stall each night. But we don’t steal anything, I swear!”

“I believe ya’ lad, I believe ya’,” Thorin murmured reassuringly.

Gisren sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “We lived in Ered Luin, sir. After, after we were alone, we hitched a ride with a caravan and made it here a few weeks ago. We’ve been doing any jobs we can to earn coin for things we need. Some of the stall owners,” he stopped and sniffed back tears. “are really nice to us. They let us make deliveries and help out with the stalls and they pay us. And some will pay us for any pretty rocks or blocks of wood we find. They … they make sure we have something to eat, sir.”

Thorin was at a loss for words. “Are there any more of you, Gisren?” he asked earnestly.

Gisren shook his head. “I don’t know anybody else, sir.”

Thorin nodded and stood up. He looked around and was relieved to see Dwalin was coming back with a guard right behind him. As soon as they reached him,

Thorin rounded on the guard. “Why didn’t you tell me there were children, orphans, starving and homeless here?” he demanded.

The guard stared at the children in shock. “I didn’t know. None of us did.” He looked at Thorin pleadingly. “I swear it to ya’, Your Majesty. If we had known, we would have said something sooner. They didn’t tell anyone anything, cept they just arrived here on a caravan a few weeks ago with their family. We’ve been trying to gain their trust so they would talk to us because nobody else knows anythin’ bout ‘em.”

Thorin reigned in his temper and turned back to the children. Nuti had finally stopped crying but wouldn’t lift her face from Drud’s chest. Swallowing, Thorin knelt back down. “Why didn’t you tell someone, little one?” he asked Gisren gently. The boy shrugged and looked down at his feet. Thorin sighed and straightened up. He slowly reached down and carefully pulled Nuti out of Drud’s arms and lifted her up. She immediately latched onto his neck, pressing her face into his shoulder. “Come with us, _nadnîth_ ,” he said before he exited the stall.

He turned to the guard, who was looking down, obviously ashamed. Thorin sighed and said, “I want the mountain searched, every nook and cranny. See if there are any more children living like this. If there are, bring them to the royal family wing.” The guard jumped to attention and bowed deeply before he sprinted off into the crowd.

He hurried through the market, politely nodding to any who called for his attention. Dwalin had picked up the two boys and followed closely behind him. Once past the crowd and out of the market space, Thorin hurried towards his family’s rooms, almost running in his haste. He made the trek in record time and took the children straight to the common room he shared with his family and the company. He and Dwalin set the children down in front of the fire, their shared anger growing when the children let sighs and tears of relief slip. Thorin heard Nuti say something about finally being warm and he immediately pulled his coat off and draped it over the children.

Stepping away from the children, he grabbed Dwalin’s arm. “Send someone to the kitchen for food, something small that will be light on their stomach, and some water. Then fetch Dis, Balin, and Bilbo. Don’t mention this to anyone else just yet. I don’t want to overwhelm the children,” he ordered without preamble.

Dwalin nodded and left the room. Thorin sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. Turning back to the children, he couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw the Dwarflings had fallen asleep in front of the fire, his coat still spread out over them. Thorin went into his bedroom and pulled a fur off of his bed. He carefully replaced his coat with the fur, not surprised that the children didn’t stir at all. He assumed that sleep had been hard to come by in the market.

It was only a few minutes later when Dis, Dwalin, Balin, and Bilbo entered the room. Dwalin must have prepared them because neither one batted an eye at the children laying on the rug, though Bilbo did gasp softly. Thorin beckoned them over to the other side of the room away from the sleeping children and said, “This is unacceptable.” Bilbo slipped his hand into Thorin’s, silently offering comfort. Thorin squeezed his hand and felt some of the tension drain from him.

Dis sighed. “We didn’t know, Thorin,” she said gently.

“We should have, Dis. It’s our duty. It’s my duty.”

Dis placed her hand on his shoulder. “We can’t be everywhere or see everything, _nadad_. Things will slip past us. We know now so we can prepare and make sure this doesn’t happen again. Now, let’s focus on the pebbles and see what we can do for them.”

Balin nodded his agreement. “Dwalin gave me their names and I will begin searching for any family they may have, as well finding out what happened to their families in Ered Luin.”

“And in the meantime, they can stay here,” Bilbo declared confidently. He didn’t flinch when three sets of eyes turned on him.

“Here?” Thorin repeated.

Bilbo nodded. He pulled his hand back and put both hands on his hips, glaring up at them all. “We have more than enough room here, they can stay with us until we figure something else out.”

Dis smiled fondly and shook her head. “Of course, Master Baggins. Whatever the Consort Under the Mountain wishes.”

Bilbo huffed and crossed his arms. “Oh, you! Call me Bilbo, already! We are family, are we not?”

Thorin chuckled and then grabbed Bilbo’s shoulders. “ _Ghivashel_ , if that is what you wish. They may stay here in the royal wing until we make other accommodations for them.” Behind him, Dwalin snorted. Thorin signed something crude at him without looking away from Bilbo, who was beaming up at him. “I have already sent for food and water for them. They will need new clothes and something to sleep on. Which room should they take?”

“The nursey is empty,” Balin pointed out.

Bilbo grinned. “That’s perfect!”

Dwalin grunted. “The eldest there is too old for the nursery.”

Thorin shook his head, remembering his days as a child with his own siblings. “He is close to the two young ones. He will want to be with them, I am sure of it. Balin, would you send someone to commission new beds and clothing for them? As well as anything else they need.” Balin nodded and slipped from the room.

“Dis, Dwalin, would you inform the Company that we will have guests for an unknown amount of time? I don’t want them to be startled by the children. Especially Fili and Kili.” Dis and Dwalin murmured their assent and followed after Balin.

Alone together except for the children, Thorin pulled Bilbo close to him and wrapped his arms around him tight. Bilbo, used to crushing hugs, slipped his arms around Thorin and squeezed as much as he could in return. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Bilbo pushed Thorin away just so he could pull him down and give him a chaste kiss. Thorin hummed against his lips before he lifted his head. He raised a hand and touched the single braid hanging by Bilbo’s ear.

“Are you sure about this, Bilbo?” he asked hesitantly.

Bilbo nodded and smiled enthusiastically. “Of course, I am, _Kurduluh_. As you said, it our duty and we have plenty of room. I’m sure the Company will help care for them as well. They will be fine.”

Thorin smiled and pulled Bilbo close again. He nuzzled Bilbo’s hair and said, “Aye, they’ll be fine.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo spends some time alone with the Dwarflings and we learn a little more about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on posting a second chapter to this anytime soon, but I decided to take a crack at chapter 2 after spending the last week or so struggling on all my other fics. For whatever reason, this came very easily to me! So easily that I've already started on chapter 3, too! I don't know what that will be ready to post though, so no promises!  
> Thanks to all the kudos and comments, they keep me going!

By the time Gisren woke up, there were three bowls of broth, still warm, and three cups of water waiting on a platter on the floor in front of the fire. Momentarily forgetting where he was, he sat up and hungrily picked up a bowl and lifted it to his mouth. He slurped the broth up, some of it dripping down his chin and into his beard. When the bowl was empty, he set it down on the tray and resisted the urge to pick up one of the other bowls. Instead he picked up one of the cups and slowly drank the water. He set the empty cup down and looked down at his friends.  


Nuti and Drud were still sleeping, curled up next to each other. He straightened the coat over them, smiling. They were his responsibility as the oldest at twenty-seven, and his siblings through the unique bond they shared. He had been looking after them ever since they had lost their parents, all those months ago. His face twisted into a grimace as he remembered how bad things had been in Ered Luin before they left. He had done any and all jobs he could get to take care of them both. He had been forced to steal to keep them fed and warm. That was why, after finally reaching Erebor after many months of traveling, he had sworn he would be starting new. He had never gotten into trouble with the guard in Ered Luin, but he wasn’t willing to take any chances in Erebor. This was supposed to be the beginning of a new life for them. It wouldn’t do for it to be started through lies and deceit.  


His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a door opening. He sprang to his feet and spun to face the potential threat, his fists raised. Some part of his head realized that he wouldn’t have been able to do anything to an enemy but he held his fists up anyway, ignoring the way they trembled. Then he flushed as a small creature entered the room, humming softly to himself as he shut the door behind him with his foot. In his hands he carried a large bundle of what looked to be blankets and pillows. Gisren frowned and lowered his hands. He assumed this was the king’s consort, the Hobbit. He was clearly not a dwarf, with pointed ears and large, hairy feet. He had never actually seen him before, but he had heard from others what he looked like. Curly brown hair that held three braids and three beads. Yes, this was the Consort Under the Mountain.  
Instantly Gisren became suspicious and he finally looked around at the room he was in. It wasn’t what he would have expected a royal room to look like. There weren’t any gold or gems anywhere, instead the room was decorated with tapestries and paintings. The furniture was comfortable and homey, rather than opulent and grand. It certainly seemed too . . . normal to be the home of a king.  


He bit his lip, silently watching as the Hobbit crossed the room and set the blankets and pillows down on an armchair set in the corner of the room. His arms free, he turned around. That was when he finally noticed Gisren standing there.  


“Oh, you’re awake!” The Hobbit smiled and approached him carefully, making sure to keep his voice down as he said, “You’re Gisren, right?” Gisren nodded slowly. “My name is Bilbo. You know who I am?”  


Gisren nodded again. “You’re the Consort, King Thorin’s husband.”  


“That’s right.” Bilbo’s eyes flickered to the tray and his smile grew. “I see you were hungry. How does your stomach feel? Thorin was concerned you might have difficulty eating real food so he ordered the broth for you just in case.”  


“My stomach feels fine, Your Majesty.”  


Bilbo waved his hand, rolling his eyes. “None of that now, please. There’s no need for formalities here.”  


Gisren swallowed. “Where is ‘here’, exactly, sir?”  


“These are the common rooms we share with our family and friends. It’s in the royal wing.”  


“The royal wing?” the Dwarfling repeated anxiously. “We shouldn’t be here,” he whispered. Bilbo frowned and when he took a step closer, Gisren took a step back. Bilbo stopped, thought for a moment, and then dropped to his knees in front of Gisren.  


“Why shouldn’t you be here?”  


“Because we’re just commoners, sir.” Gisren explained dejectedly. “We’re nobody. This . . . this isn’t where we belong. Please, sir, can we go back to the market?”  


Bilbo’s face had grown more and more concerned as Gisren spoke, but he glowered when the dwarfling asked to go back to the market. Without thinking, he reached out and gripped Gisren’s shoulders. Gisren froze, his eyes growing wide, but he didn’t pull away. He leaned forward, getting inches away from Gisren’s face. He very determinedly said, “Gisren, I don’t know who told you that, but it’s absolute horse shite.” The Dwarfling gasped in shock at the curse, but Bilbo ignored it. “Being royal doesn’t make us any different from you. You’ve seen the king in the Market, haven’t you? Did you know he also spends time in the forges regularly, and that he helped with the restoration and rebuilding of both Erebor and Dale as soon as he was healed enough? The king doesn’t think himself, nor any of his own family or any of the lords or nobles in the mountain, above anyone else. So I don’t want to hear such talk from you again, do you understand?”  


Gisren nodded, though he was still confused. He remembered living in Ered Luin and that was not the way he had been taught. Those with more money than his family had always made sure they knew their place, below them. He hadn’t lived near King Thorin and his family though. He wanted to believe Bilbo’s words, but he had lost faith in others a long time ago. He stayed silent as Bilbo let him go and stood up. Then he heard a noise from behind him and spinning around he saw Nuti and Drud sitting up. They sleepily rubbed their eyes and yawned, prompting a smile from Bilbo. The first thing they noticed was the tray of food and their faces lit up when they saw the still warm broth waiting for them.  


Without wasting a second, they snatched up the bowls and spoons and shoveled the broth into their mouths as fast as they could, much of it missing their mouths and hitting the rug. Gisren winced at the mess they were making and kept a close eye on Bilbo, expecting an angry outburst from the consort. But to his surprise, Bilbo merely kept smiling, happy at seeing the young ones eating, though he did try to tell them to slow down. Neither Dwarfling listened and within minutes the broth was all gone. The bowls were thrown aside in favor of the cups of water, which the dwarflings gulped down so fast Gisren feared they might choke.  


When the cups were empty, they too were tossed aside and the children finally noticed Bilbo and Gisren standing nearby watching them. They jumped to their feet and rushed to Gisren, throwing their arms around him. Nuti hid her face in his shirt while Drud glared up at Bilbo suspiciously. Bilbo chuckled at them and bent down to their level. “Hello there, My name’s Bilbo. What’s yours?”  


Neither of them spoke for several seconds and Gisren bit his lip worriedly. The last thing he needed was them disrespecting the consort. But then Nuti lifted her head and shyly said, “I’m Nuti, daughter of Nutir.”  


Bilbo beamed and held out his hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Nuti.” She hesitantly took his hand, which he shook gently before he let it go. Then he turned to Drud and offered his hand. “Hello there.”  


Drud looked up at Gisren for guidance. Gisren wanted to sign something to him, but he didn’t know if the consort understood iglishmêk and couldn’t chance him understanding the message. Instead he reluctantly nodded, trying to smile reassuringly. Bilbo had been kind so far and he hadn’t heard any rumors or stories about him being unkind. In fact, most stories he had heard about the Hobbit made him out to be a hero, the one who truly saved the quest and Erebor. It was hard for him to believe a Hobbit could do all the things others said he had.  


Drud introduced himself and shook Bilbo’s hand quickly. Bilbo straightened up and adjusted his waistcoat. Then he put his hands on his hips and looked them over from head to toe, taking everything in. Gisren shuffled his feet, embarrassed. If Bilbo noticed, he showed no sign of it. He clapped his hands together and said, “Well, I think I have my work cut out for me. First step, I think, is a nice bath.”  


Despite himself, Gisren gasped along with Nuti and Drud. Bilbo grinned and Nuti asked, in a wondrous voice, “A real bath, Mr. Bilbo?”  


“A hot one?” Drud added.  


Bilbo nodded and both children jumped up and down excitedly. “Please, Gisren, can we please? We haven’t had a bath in ages!” Nuti said, looking up at Gisren pleadingly. Drud moved to her side and copied her expression. Gisren sighed and grudgingly nodded. They shrieked in excitement and turned back to Bilbo, who was laughing now.  


“Well, come on, then!” He held his arms out and Nuti instantly darted to him. Drud followed a second later, the prospect of a bath erasing any suspicions he had. Bilbo lifted both children up and went to the door. When Gisren didn’t immediately follow, he beckoned the child over. Gisren warily walked to the door, tense and nervous. Bilbo nodded approvingly and went through the door first, Gisren a few feet behind him. Gisren kept his head down so he couldn’t see anything, his eyes trained on Bilbo’s legs. Bilbo led him down a tall hallway. Gisren could see out of the corners of his eyes that it held a few more doors, all of them closed.  


After a couple minutes of walking and two turns, Bilbo came to another hallway that opened with a large arch, guarded on both sides. Bilbo greeted each of the guards as they passed and the guards bowed in response. Gisren couldn’t help but look up at the guards as he passed and each one sent him a gentle smile. He found he couldn’t smile back, but his apprehension abated somewhat. They walked several feet down the hallway, passing two more doors, before Bilbo stopped in front of another door. Gisren didn’t see anything special about this door. Bilbo shifted Nuti on his hip, freeing his arm, and opened the door. He stepped back and let Gisren enter first.  


Gisren had been expecting a bathroom, but instead he walked into another sitting room, this one decorated much the same way the previous one had been. Lots of warm colors, browns and greens, mixed in with the royal color, Durin Blue. The furniture was comfy and cozy, and various tapestries and paintings covered the walls. There was a large doorway that opened up into what Gisren could see was a dining room and kitchen area, as well as two more doors. There was a set of armchairs, old but well-cared for, in front of the fireplace, which had been set before they got there so that the room would be warm. Gisren gasped when he saw two portraits of two different Hobbits hanging above the fireplace, one female and one male. They looked extremely familiar, but Gisren couldn’t put his finger on why.  


Bilbo caught him looking and chuckled. He stopped walking and said, “Those are my parents. Thorin had their portraits and their armchairs brought here soon after we began courting. He was kind enough to let me hang them up there.”  


“That was . . . nice of him,” Gisren said, unsure how else to respond.  


Bilbo smiled down at him before he continued walking. He took the dwarflings through another door, this one leading into the bedroom he and Thorin shared, chuckling again at Gisren’s reaction to it. And then they were finally in the bathroom, much to the delight of Nuti and Drud. They wiggled and squirmed until he let them down, laughing. They ran over to the claw foot tub, oohing and aahing over it for a moment before they called Gisren over to look at it. Bilbo left them to it and gathered up the towels, soaps, and combs they would need, as well as a large bowl for pouring. He set all those down on the floor beside the tub and then turned the knobs that controlled the water. Water came pouring out of the faucet and the dwarflings, all three, gasped with delight. Nuti eagerly stuck her hands under the water, tears filling her eyes. Bilbo’s heart clenched when he saw that and in that moment, he subconsciously made a decision that was going to change his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So . . . who saw that coming? :D :D :D


	3. FINALLY!! A chapter update!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pardon my language, but FUCKING FINALLY!! A CHAPTER UPDATE!!!  
> Okay, so in case no one read the summary I had previously posted as "Chapter three", long story short, through several issues with money, family, and priorities, I have not been able to work on this fic, nor could I post what I did have done after chapter two. But, I'm finally in a better position and I can finally continue on with this fic, and my others!  
> I will not promise a consistent update schedule, as I am now focusing on writing a book that I hope to publish before the year is over, so that is my main focus as are other things in my life. But I will not ever abandon this fic and if you all can just be patient with me, which you all have been and its been so appreciated, this fic will be finished.

Standing up straight, Bilbo cleared his throat to get their attention. Three sets of eyes instantly snapped to him and the dwarflings backed away from the tub cautiously. Nuti’s lip started wobbling as she pulled her hands out from under the water and Bilbo immediately dropped to his knees beside her. “Oh no, darling, don’t cry,” he murmured softly. He carefully grabbed Nuti’s arms and directed her hands back under the water. She smiled at him gratefully and mumbled her thanks. He nodded and stood back up. “Nuti, do you want your brothers to leave the room while you bathe?” Nuti shook her head emphatically. “Okay, boys, is that okay with you?” The boys nodded, which Bilbo expected. He hadn’t actually expected them to want to be separated but had thought he should at least ask if they wanted some privacy.

“Okay, sweetlings, let’s get undressed while the tub fills up. Now, I know you’ve been taking care of yourselves for a long time, but if you don’t mind I would like to help you bathe and tend to your hair. Is that acceptable?” The younger ones looked to Gisren again for guidance and he took a moment to think before he answered.

No one had been tending and touching their hair besides themselves ever since their parents had died. It was taboo in their society for anyone but family and close friends to touch a Dwarf’s hair and beard. But Gisren couldn’t remember the last time his hair had felt really and truly clean and untangled. But why would the consort of all people offer to help them so, he wondered. Feeding them was one thing, but helping them bathe, taking them to his own private rooms and letting them use his own bathtub. He couldn’t help but feel the consort wanted something from them, and he didn’t want to owe anyone anything. But Nuti and Drud were both so dirty. They desperately needed a bathe. He couldn’t let them suffer when there was another option. So, with some trepidation, he said, “We’d appreciate it, sir.

Bilbo huffed, muttering “None of that ‘sir’ stuff, either, Master Dwarf.” Gisren struggled not to smile and turned away from the Hobbit. Nuti and Drud were already naked by the tub, leaning over it and playing with the water as it ran. Bilbo tested the water’s temperature, thankful for the Dwarven resistance to heat. The children were so dirty that he wanted to use the hottest water they could stand to bathe them. He had them all test the temperature themselves and once they all determined that it was hot but not too hot for them, he put the stopper in the drain and the tub began filling with water. While the tub filled and Gisren finished undressing, Bilbo took a few minutes to inspect Nuti and Drud’s hair, seeing just how much damage had been done and how much work they would each require. He winced thinking about how long it would all take. But at least their facial hair would require little work, as there wasn’t very much on any of them so there wasn’t much that could get tangled or dirty like their hair.

Nuti was the first one put in the tub, to her delight, and Bilbo pulled a piece of charcoal out of his pocket to give Drud and Gisren something to do while they waited, telling them they could draw and write on the floor. She splashed a few times before Bilbo gently chastised her. He filled the bowl with water and, after asking her to tilt her head back, poured it over her head four times to completely wet her hair before he turned the water off. Then, Bilbo picked up the bottle of sweet smelling hair soap he had picked out. He squirted a generous amount into his palm and just for extra measure poured a large dollop straight on top of Nuti’s hair. He used his free hand to cup and pour a bit of water on to her hair and then started scrubbing the thick, tangled black mass, careful not to pull. He did that for two minutes, then washed the soap out and added more soap. He repeated that process two more times, and almost twenty minutes had passed before he finally washed out her hair for the fourth time, satisfied that her hair was well and truly clean.

Nuti reached up and felt her hair, sighing softly. “Thank you, Mister Bilbo, sir,” she said, her voice wobbling. Bilbo leaned around her to look at her face and made a soothing noise when he saw tears in her eyes. Gisren and Drud both abandoned the rune game they were playing on the floor and hurried to the side of the tub, both reaching to pat Nuti’s back comfortingly.

“Oh, darling one, it’s alright. Why are you crying?” He hugged her to him, uncaring that her wet hair soaked his clothes when she pressed against him.

Sniffing as tears fell freely down her cheeks, Nuti said, “My _amad_ used to take care of my hair like this.”

Bilbo hummed and kissed the top of her head, then looked at the boys. Drud was also crying but was fighting not to let any tears escape. But Gisren shocked him because he wasn’t crying or even tearing up at all, instead looking far too old and mature for his age. Deciding that was an issue for later, Bilbo pushed Nuti away and gently wiped her face with a rag, murmuring reassuringly until she stopped crying. He continued cleaning her face and after a couple minutes of careful scrubbing, he could see clean pink cheeks and not dirt and dust. He smiled at her and said, “There, now. I think we finally found a little Dwarfling under all that dirt.” Nuti and Drud both giggled at his words and Bilbo turned Nuti back around in the tub. “Sit still now, dear, and let’s finish your hair before the water loses all it’s heat.”

Nuti dutifully sat straight in the tub, her back to Bilbo, and waited. Bilbo reached over and patted both Drud and Gisren on their shoulders, giving them a fond smile. Drud returned the smile and wiped his eyes, but Gisren merely nodded slightly. Bilbo sighed slightly, both understanding and disappointed, then turned his attention back to Nuti. He picked up a second bottle of hair soap, the companion to the first bottle he used that was supposed to soften and moisturize hair after the first product cleaned it. It had not taken him long on the quest to learn just how difficult Dwarrow hair was to maintain, but after reclaiming the mountain he had been amazed at all the products Dwarrow created just for their hair. He poured a large amount all over Nuti’s hair and slowly worked it into her hair, making sure not to put too much close to the scalp, remembering Thorin’s lessons about how to properly care for Dwarrow hair. After he was sure her hair was thoroughly saturated with the product, he picked up the comb from the floor.

“Now, I will try not to hurt you, Nuti, my dear, but your hair is horribly tangled. I’ve done the best I could with my fingers but I fear my fingers can only do so much. So I need you to sit very still for me, and if anything hurts you tell me immediately, okay?” Nuti nodded enthusiastically and Bilbo set to work, starting at the ends of her hair. He had been tending to Dwarrow hair for a long time now, but never anything like this. Not even Fili and Kili’s hair had ever been this bad after the quest. But Bilbo was determined and when the water had cooled completely a half an hour later, he could run the comb through Nuti’s hair smoothly. “There, now. We just need some oil and your hair will be the finest hair in all of Erebor.”

Nuti giggled and touched her hair. “Even better than Mister Thorin’s?” Gisren opened his mouth to chastise her for referring to the king in such a way, but Bilbo’s laugh stopped him.

“Yes, even better than Mister Thorin’s. Now, I’m going to refill the tub with more hot water. Nuti, can you bathe yourself while I tend to Drud’s hair?” Nuti nodded quickly, still running her fingers through her hair. “Alright, Nuti, scoot forward so Drud can sit down. Drud, dear, come get in the tub, yes, that’s right, sit behind Nuti.” Bilbo reached into the tub and pulled out the drain. While the tub drained, Bilbo turned to Gisren with a small smile.

“Gisren, my boy, do you think you could help Nuti bathe and then dry her off?”

Gisren puffed up his chest and lifted his chin. “Of course I can. I’ve been taking care of her ever since we left Ered Luin.”

Bilbo nodded and put his hand on Gisren’s shoulder. “You’ve been doing a fine job of it, Gisren.” He patted Gisren’s shoulder and then turned to the tub. The water had drained fast and the tub was empty again, save for the two Dwarflings waiting. He turned the water on, once again making it as hot as they could stand it before putting the drain stop back in. It only took a couple minutes for the tub to fill up again and he handed Nuti a bar of soap and a clean rag to bathe with. “Alright now, Drud, same thing you saw Nuti do, lean your head back.” While he washed Drud’s hair, Gisren helped Nuti bathe, doing a much better job than Bilbo would have expected. It was another reminder that Gisren had been forced to grow up too fast.

Drud’s hair took even longer than Nuti’s had, to Bilbo’s dismay. His fingers got trapped in the tangles and knots several times and each time he accidentally pulled, he heard Drud suck in a breath. Before he could offer reassurances however, Gisren would look away from Nuti and say something in Khuzdul. Bilbo recognized the tone of his voice and a few words and nodded approvingly at Gisren for comforting the Dwarfling. Gisren would nod back hesitantly each time before he returned his attention to Nuti, who was scrubbing her body hard. After several washes, he could see the burnt orange color underneath the dirt and mud. But while his hair was now clean, the water was very dirty and Bilbo decided to refill the tub with clean water, even though the dirty water was still hot.

“Gisren, dear, help little Nuti out now. I think she’s about to scrub her skin off if she keeps going.”

Gisren nodded, picked up a towel, and then helped Nuti climb over the side of the tub. He wrapped her in the towel and began drying her. While he did that, Bilbo emptied and refilled the tub and when it was full of clean water again, Nuti was dry and Gisren had wrapped a smaller towel around her hair to prevent it from dripping all over her again. Gisren bit his lip, looking around uncertainly, and Bilbo asked, “What is it, Gisren?” while he lathered the moisturizer into Drud’s hair.

“I’m looking for some oil, for her hair, sir,” Gisren replied hesitantly. Bilbo lifted a soapy hand and pointed to the set of cabinets that held the sink. Gisren opened the doors and searched for the oil, finding it in the second cabinet. Shutting the cabinets, he opened the oil and sniffed it. He was surprised that it also smelled sweet and floral, just like the scent the hair soap had left in Nuti’s hair. He sat down cross legged on the floor and Nuti plopped down in his lap. He grabbed a smaller comb from the pile of stuff Bilbo had set by the tub and started combing and oiling Nuti’s hair.

Bilbo watched out of the corner of his eye as Gisren carefully and tenderly tended to the little Dwarfling’s hair. Nuti had closed her eyes and appeared to be falling asleep, leaning back against his chest. Bilbo’s ears could just make out faint humming and he smiled as he slowly combed through the knots in Drud’s hair. By the time Drud’s hair was tangle free and clean, Nuti had indeed fallen asleep in Gisren’s nap. Gisren had finished oiling her hair several minutes ago but hadn’t stopped combing it or running his hands through it. Bilbo thought it must have been comforting to him because Gisren looked calmer than he had since he had woken up. Bilbo rinsed out Drud’s hair one last time and again pulled the drain to empty the tub.

“Sit still, Drud dear, you still need to bathe.” Drud nodded, rocking back and forth where he sat.

Bilbo turned to Gisren, about to ask if he could Nuti so the Dwarfling could get into the tub too, but he was cut off by a knock on the bathroom door. After getting silent, and nervous, permission from Gisren, Bilbo called out a greeting. After a second, the door opened and Thorin entered, his arms full of clothing. He murmured a greeting and set his bundle on the counter next to the sink. He had changed out of his kingly attire and was dressed in his normal attire, his hair still wet from a bath in his own set of bathrooms. He smiled at Bilbo and then his gaze shifted to the children. Nuti had woken slightly at the knock on the door, but she woke up fully when she realized Thorin was in the room. Her face lit up when she saw him and got up from Gisren’s lap to dash over to Thorin. She threw herself at him, hugging his legs. Thorin seemed shocked for a moment, sending Bilbo a wide-eyed look. Bilbo returned it with a reassuring smile and Thorin lifted the little dwarfling up into his arms.

“Hello again, Nuti,” Thorin murmured, hugging the child tight. He missed the hopeful look on Bilbo’s face and when Thorin looked at him several seconds later, Bilbo had smoothed his face out. Thorin turned his attention to the boys then. “Hello, Gisren, Drud.”

“Hello, Your Highness,” Gisren said, hurrying to his feet, Drud copying him seconds later from inside the tub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was all about Bilbo bonding with the Dwarflings and learning some things about them. The next few chapters will likely be the same, as the Dwarflings need to meet everyone in the company and other things need to be worked out before they can be officially adopted, which I'm sure everyone expects to happen. I'm unsure at the point if this will lean towards anymore angst, but I do have some ideas if I take it that direction.

**Author's Note:**

> Nadnîth-boys (children)  
> Nadad-brother  
> Ghivashel-treasure of treasures  
> Kurduluh - my heart  
> Credit for Khuzdul goes to the Dwarven Scholar  
> ***Since someone has already asked, let me put it here. It is very likely that this will be continued. I have no plans as of yet, but I do know that there will be backstories revealed for the three Dwarflings you just met. But I am currently working on five multi-chapter fics so this will have to wait for the time being, unfortunately.


End file.
